'Octomom' pleads not guilty to new count in welfare fraud case

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to octuplets in 2009, pleaded not guilty today to the latest count against her in a welfare fraud case.

The 38-year-old mother of 14 was charged Feb. 5 with a second count of aid by misrepresentation.

Suleman -- whose real name is Natalie Denise Suleman -- was previously charged Jan. 6 with one count of aid by misrepresentation and two counts of perjury by false application for aid. She pleaded not guilty to those charges Jan. 17.

Suleman filed for public assistance in Lancaster in January 2013, after a stint in rehab for anxiety and exhaustion depleted her savings, her representative said then.

Prosecutors allege Suleman failed to report the extra income she earned through checks for personal appearances and residuals from videos in the first six months of 2013. The latest charge alleges that she received more than $9,800 in MediCal benefits.

The first aid by misrepresentation charge filed in January alleged that Suleman received more than $6,600 from CalWORKs and more than $9,800 from CalFresh.

Suleman is due back in Los Angeles Superior Court for another hearing April 16.

If convicted of all four charges, she faces up to six years and four months in jail, ccording to the District Attorney's Office.